Critical hospital machines held for $3.6M ransom

by Nikola Strahija on February 15th, 2016An unidentified group of hackers is holding critical computers at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center for a hefty $3.6M ransom. These machines are used for medical treatments and diagnosis.

An unidentified group of hackers is holding critical medical machines for ransom at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

The Center declared a state of emergency as computers dedicated to lab-tests, pharmacy and CT scans went offline last week. Chief executive of the hospital, Allen Stefanek stated that impact to patients was limited and that this was a random attack and not a targeted malicious attack.

Patients have been forced to travel to a remote location about an hour's drive to collect their lab tests and some reports have said that the hospital has reverted to fax machines. If these reports are true it could mean that other computers may be infected with the ransomware as well. Sources have confirmed that these hackers are demanding $3.6M in bitcoins which equates to about 8840 bitcoins.

FBI and Interpol have been called in and are working on the case however the attackers remain elusive to this date.